Family & Community Alternative Learning
Charter Schools Best Practices

City On A Hill Charter Public School

Training Urban Teachers

Topics:	School Culture and Classroom Management Practices Instructional Practices At-risk Learners Developing, refining, and documenting curricula Internal and/or external student assessment systems Using school-wide and individual student assessment data to inform curriculum and instruction Special education students and English language learners Certification of urban teachers
Mission:	City on a Hill graduates responsible, resourceful, and respectful democratic citizens prepared to advance community, culture, and commerce, and to compete in the 21st century.
Goals:	1. To improve the quality of instruction in urban schools
Summary:	Simmons College Urban MAT Program. City on a Hill facilitates an opportunity for urban teachers to earn their Masters of Arts in Teaching (MAT) through Simmons College at reduced-rate tuition and in partnership with a high-performing urban charter school. Through the program participants are mentored and coached in the school’s effective practices. In the two-year program, a cohort of full-time charter school teachers study pedagogy relevant to urban middle and high schools. Teachers reflect on their classrooms and methodology within a supportive educational structure in graduate level coursework. Taught by Simmons professors, this innovative, rigorous 36-credit program leads to a Master of Arts in Teaching degree with eligibility for Massachusetts Licensure. The project was initiated in 2004 by a group of teachers and administrators at City on a Hill. Each cohort year (2004, 2006, and 2008), City on a Hill contacts principals of urban schools and invites teachers in those schools to apply. Middle and high school teachers in the core academic areas of mathematics, English language arts, science, history/social studies, and foreign language are eligible to apply. Preference for admission is given to urban pilot and charter school teachers.
Partner(s):
Dates:	01/01/2004 01/01/2005 01/01/2006 01/01/2007 01/01/2008
Contact:	Benjamin Conrick, Director of Certification and Professional Development (bconrick@cityonahill.org/617.445.1515)
Resources:	Contact City on a Hill for more information, or visit www.cityonahill.org/masters.php.
Federal Charter Schools Program Funds?	No

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